The more it marinates, the better it tastes. If making the biryani for dinner, I would marinate it around lunch time.

For cooking rice: Soak the basmati rice for about half an hour and then drain it and keep aside. Heat about 1 tbsp of butter in a sauce pan and fry the rest of the masala items (cardamom, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, fennel seeds).

Add the drained rice and fry for about 5 mins in medium heat. Add salt needed for the rice.

Add just enough water and cook the rice. For masala: Steam the vegetables until they are just tender.

Take oil and butter in a large pan. Add about a tsp of fennel seeds and then fry the onions.

Then add the bell pepper and fry until crisp. Now add the rest of the cooked vegetable and salt (needed just for the vegetables) and mix well.

Now add marinade and fry until it thickens and oil separates. Marinade would liquefy once it hits the heat but would eventually thicken as we cook it.

Assembly: In a large bowl, alternate the cooked rice and the masala and mix well until combined. Add some ghee when mixing (enhances the flavor).

Garnish with fried cashews and raisins. Serve hot with raita.

Recipe courtesy: My Cooking Journey RELATED RECIPES Kuska biryani Mutton Biriyani/Atterachi Biryani Zero oil mixed vegetable curry Hot vegetable pickle Rohu fish and vegetable soup Ingredients: 2 cups - Basmati rice 2 cups - yogurt 2 tbsp - ginger garlic paste 1 tsp - turmeric powder Chili powder, as needed 2 tsp - coriander powder 2 tsp - garam masala 8 - cardamom 2 sticks - cinnamon 6 - cloves 3 - bay leaves 2 - star anise 1 small bunch - cilantro, chopped 1 small bunch - mint, chopped 2 cups - tomato, diced 1 cup - carrot, chopped 1 cup - beans, chopped 1 cup - bell pepper, chopped 1 cup - onions (thinly sliced) 1/2 cup - peas 2 tsp - fennel seeds 4 tbsp - butter Oil, as needed Salt to taste (less)

The more it marinates, the better it tastes. If making the biryani for dinner, I would marinate it around lunch time.

For cooking rice: Soak the basmati rice for about half an hour and then drain it and keep aside. Heat about 1 tbsp of butter in a sauce pan and fry the rest of the masala items (cardamom, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, fennel seeds).

Add the drained rice and fry for about 5 mins in medium heat. Add salt needed for the rice.

Add just enough water and cook the rice. For masala: Steam the vegetables until they are just tender.

Take oil and butter in a large pan. Add about a tsp of fennel seeds and then fry the onions.

Then add the bell pepper and fry until crisp. Now add the rest of the cooked vegetable and salt (needed just for the vegetables) and mix well.

Now add marinade and fry until it thickens and oil separates. Marinade would liquefy once it hits the heat but would eventually thicken as we cook it.

Assembly: In a large bowl, alternate the cooked rice and the masala and mix well until combined. Add some ghee when mixing (enhances the flavor).

Garnish with fried cashews and raisins. Serve hot with raita.

Recipe courtesy: My Cooking Journey RELATED RECIPES Kuska biryani Mutton Biriyani/Atterachi Biryani Zero oil mixed vegetable curry Hot vegetable pickle Rohu fish and vegetable soup Ingredients: 2 cups - Basmati rice 2 cups - yogurt 2 tbsp - ginger garlic paste 1 tsp - turmeric powder Chili powder, as needed 2 tsp - coriander powder 2 tsp - garam masala 8 - cardamom 2 sticks - cinnamon 6 - cloves 3 - bay leaves 2 - star anise 1 small bunch - cilantro, chopped 1 small bunch - mint, chopped 2 cups - tomato, diced 1 cup - carrot, chopped 1 cup - beans, chopped 1 cup - bell pepper, chopped 1 cup - onions (thinly sliced) 1/2 cup - peas 2 tsp - fennel seeds 4 tbsp - butter Oil, as needed Salt to taste (less)

Add ginger-garlic paste and saute. Add the tomatoes, remaining powdered spices and pepper and saute for a minute.

Add the rest of the ingredients and fry. Add prawns and cook till done.

To make the rice, heat ghee in a large pan and fry half the onion until golden brown. Drain and set aside.

Add cashewnuts and raisins to the pan and fry. Remove and set aside.

Saute the remaining onions in the ghee and add whole spices. Add rice and fry for 5 mins on low heat.

Add water. Cook uncovered on high heat.

When water is reduced, lower the heat, sprinkle garam masala and rose water over it, cover tightly and cook till done. Layer rice with prawn masala and bake, or serve with prawn masala on the side.

RELATED RECIPES Meen moilee with rice Ada prathaman Kadala curry with puttu Appams with mutton stew Jackfruit halwa Ingredients: For the chemeen masala: 20 prawns, shelled and de-veined 1 tsp. chilli powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder Salt to taste 1/2 tsp fennel seeds 150 gms onion, sliced 3 green chillies, chopped 2 tbsp ghee 5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 100 gms tomatoes, sliced 1/2 tsp pepper powder 5 tbsp yoghurt 3 tbsp cashewnut paste 50 gms each coriander and mint leaves, chopped Juice of 1 lemon For the ghee rice: 60 gms ghee 150 gms onions, sliced 1 tbsp cashewnuts 1 tbsp raisins 2 green cardamoms 2 cloves 2 bay leaves 4 sticks cinnamon 500 gms basmati rice 1 litre water 1/2 tsp garam masala A few drops rose water (less)

Add ginger-garlic paste and saute. Add the tomatoes, remaining powdered spices and pepper and saute for a minute.

Add the rest of the ingredients and fry. Add prawns and cook till done.

To make the rice, heat ghee in a large pan and fry half the onion until golden brown. Drain and set aside.

Add cashewnuts and raisins to the pan and fry. Remove and set aside.

Saute the remaining onions in the ghee and add whole spices. Add rice and fry for 5 mins on low heat.

Add water. Cook uncovered on high heat.

When water is reduced, lower the heat, sprinkle garam masala and rose water over it, cover tightly and cook till done. Layer rice with prawn masala and bake, or serve with prawn masala on the side.

RELATED RECIPES Meen moilee with rice Ada prathaman Kadala curry with puttu Appams with mutton stew Jackfruit halwa Ingredients: For the chemeen masala: 20 prawns, shelled and de-veined 1 tsp. chilli powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder Salt to taste 1/2 tsp fennel seeds 150 gms onion, sliced 3 green chillies, chopped 2 tbsp ghee 5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 100 gms tomatoes, sliced 1/2 tsp pepper powder 5 tbsp yoghurt 3 tbsp cashewnut paste 50 gms each coriander and mint leaves, chopped Juice of 1 lemon For the ghee rice: 60 gms ghee 150 gms onions, sliced 1 tbsp cashewnuts 1 tbsp raisins 2 green cardamoms 2 cloves 2 bay leaves 4 sticks cinnamon 500 gms basmati rice 1 litre water 1/2 tsp garam masala A few drops rose water (less)